


Misuse of Muggles

by wynnebat



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Post-Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-08
Updated: 2012-02-08
Packaged: 2018-02-21 04:24:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2454620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wynnebat/pseuds/wynnebat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ernie likes to pretend he's not a nervous wreck before job interviews. Justin likes to pretend he's a Hufflepuff at heart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Misuse of Muggles

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [Slash the Rainbow Challenge](https://www.fanfiction.net/topic/44309/55111974/1/).

"I can't do this," Ernie announced two hallways away from the most important job interview of his life. His hands were shaking with nervousness and excess energy, and he could swear he had an unsightly patch of sweat forming on his brow. He turned to Justin for reassurance, but Justin looked like he didn't care one way or the other.

"You'll be fine," Justin replied, his eyes and slightly long nose not leaving his book. "You'll wow the idiot, get the job, move in with me, and we'll get that television you wanted."

Ernie stopped walking (they were now one hallway away from the interview of doom) and grabbed the book out of Justin's hands. "I'm preparing myself for the most important day of my life and you're—" he glanced at the book's cover, "—reading a horticulture guide?"

"Open to the second page," Justin said, radiating smugness.

Ernie complied and let out a soft groan. "The Goodwizard's Guide to Wholesome but Misrepresented Business Dealings with Muggles?" He flipped to the table of contents, hoping the book wasn't what he thought it was. "The economy, you, and inflation spells? Legal spells for ease of business? How to change someone's mind in five easy spells? Justin, this is illegal." Ernie knew Justin was planning to work in the muggle world, but he'd assumed his boyfriend would at least be law-abiding about it.

"What do you care about muggle economics?" Justin asked, relieving Ernie of the book.

"It's the principle of the thing."

"It's the principle of the thing that I love you."

Ernie rolled his eyes, but smiled happily at his boyfriend. "You're incorrigible. And immoral."

Justin grabbed Ernie's hand and all but dragged him towards his interview room. "Good luck," he murmured against Ernie's lips, and pecked him quickly before leaving for his own job. Ernie wasn't sure what Justin (and Justin's father, for that matter) did for a living, only that he made more money than Ernie comfortably spent in a year. And had questionable business tactics.

Ernie knocked on the office door, puffing his cheeks and breathing deeply to calm himself. This was the most important interview of his life; he couldn't have an anxiety attack today. But even as he ate another calming candy, he began to feel a little lightheaded with stress.

The door opened—too slowly, was that a bad sign?—and an unusually glum Arthur Weasley appeared on the other side. "Hello?" he asked, looking a little confused. "Are you lost?"

"No!" Ernie cried, then cursed himself for sounding like an over-excited teenager. Twenty was too old for a squeaky voice. "No, I mean, I heard from my dad that you're looking for an assistant. I was going to owl you my resume, but my owl couldn't find you, and my dad's been sick and couldn't hand it in, and I wanted to make sure no one got the job before me!"

Mr. Weasley blinked. "Come in, Mr...?"

"Macmillan. Ernie Macmillan," Ernie said, giving up on trying to keep himself from rolling on his heels. Mr. Weasley had probably already noticed his nervousness.

"You're Michael's boy! I hadn't realized you were interested in a job here." Mr. Weasley gestured to a chair opposite his desk and Ernie sat down, glancing at the desk next to Mr. Weasley's. If all went well, that desk would be his. "Could you tell me about your credentials?"

"Yes sir!" He handed Mr. Weasley the resume, which Mr. Weasley took, but didn't look over. "I graduated from Hogwarts with five NEWTS, two of them Exceeding Expectations, the rest Acceptable. I got a NEWT in Muggle Studies, actually."

"Really? You're truly interested in muggle artifacts?" Mr. Wealey asked, now more bemused than surprised. Ernie hoped it wasn't because of his poor scores.

"Very much, sir. I've been asking my dad to get a vellytision for ages. I want to know more about muggles, and your department is my first choice!"

After another ten minutes of questions, Ernie was free to leave. He left the office with a huge grin, deciding to send a Ministry-loaned owl to Justin that very moment to tell him the news. He was so happy he could levitate!

"I assume your interview went well?"

Ernie turned toward the left and saw his boyfriend leaning against the wall. "Justin? You waited for me? And it was great! He told me to come in for work tomorrow at nine. Can you believe it? I'm so happy I could—"

"Kiss me?" Justin finished, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Yeah, that." Ernie pulled Justin in for a kiss, delighting in the chance to rumple Justin's muggle suit and discretely banish Justin's book.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Complete; no sequel planned.


End file.
